Mr. Wedmore's Lecture.

On account of the rain, but a small audience greeted Mr. Wedmore last night at his lecture on Modern Life in Art. The lecturer began by quoting. Coleridge "that the professions fell away from the church, literature from the professions, and journalism from literature." So to a certain extent art has followed this analogy. What we want in art is freshness, the old style allegorical and historical painting has had its day. Our historical painting should be a record of our labors, our pleasures and our principal personages. The men who have made the greatest fame in art are those who have portrayed the times in which they lived. Art is not only concerned with the dramatic moments of our lives, its province is as much to portray lovely color and softest shades of light. That artist will be most in sympathy with the spirit of to-day, who feels and portrays the influence of his surroundings, no matter how homely or simple.